


The Hornet

by Sandlight



Category: Original Work, Star Trek
Genre: Coming of Age, Developing Relationship, Diary/Journal, Gen, Growing Up, Hopeful Ending, Moving, New Family, One Shot, Outer Space, POV First Person, Pets, Plants, Platonic Relationships, Sad, Slice of Life, Star Trek Universe, Teacher-Student Relationship, USS Hornet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27182597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandlight/pseuds/Sandlight
Summary: Maggie's parents make her move from her comfortable home on Earth, where she has been living with her dad, to a spaceship, so the mom she barely knows can further her career and see her family more. She hates her new life at first, but as she gets to know people, she makes a place for herself on the starship Hornet.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	The Hornet

**Author's Note:**

> An original fic set in the Star Trek universe.

Day 1

Well, I am here. The USS Hornet, headed out on an archeological mission to Garot 4. My father is making me keep a personal log, because he thinks it will help me adjust emotionally to leaving Earth, making new friends, and being on a starship. I do not agree.

I have lived just outside of Ottawa, Canada, for all my life. My mother has always been a Starfleet engineer, but she would go on her missions alone while I stayed back with my dad. He trained with Starfleet as a doctor but when my mother got pregnant, he took a job on Earth, because he wanted to raise me with his family around. I loved it. He missed mother, of course, but I barely knew her. When she was offered a transfer to the Hornet along with a promotion, my dad decided to come along as a medical assistant. I protested, but I am barely thirteen, so my opinion counts for little.

My name is Margaret Virginia David, or just Maggie. I am an average girl with a mess of curly brown hair. I get average grades, to my parents' disappointment. I have no particular talents... except one. I am very good with animals. Which is, of course, useless when you're in space. I had to leave behind our old cat, Saphire, and my five-year-old dog, Bowler, whom I raised and trained myself. I already want to go back home.

Day 2

Today was my first day of school on a starship. The Hornet isn't very big, and there are only five other kids in my class, which includes everyone ages 10-18 on the ship.

First is Ginger Flores, who is sixteen and charismatic. She dominates the class with her presence, but I see it as reasonable, since she plans to be a singer and actor back on Earth when she is old enough. She is the kind of person you don't want to be angry at you.

Her closest follower is Eric Barton, a skinny Welsh boy with an accent so thick you can barely understand him. Eric is "two months away from 16" in his own words, and he wants to be a mathematician. I didn't get to hear or observe much more about him.

The last of the older kids was most intriguing to me. His name is Koh Tsai, and he is not human. He was adopted by humans as an infant, when he was found in an abandoned ship. He has white hair that he wears long and silver eyes. Both his ears and his tongue are forked. Those were the only visible differences, but I am curious to learn more about his species.

The other two kids in my class are Ayana and Fiona Malawi. Twin ten-year-old girls who giggle too much and finish each others' sentences.

I am the only one who is new to the Hornet. Furthermore, the others are too old or young for me to really relate to, the way I did with my friends in Ottawa.

The teacher, Mrs. Panaski, is friendly and intelligent, but I think our skill levels are too varied for her to be an effective teacher. I guess I'll find out soon.

I miss Bowler. I miss grass and clouds and nature. The halls of this ship are metallic and bare. The air smells empty and the ground feels hollow. The temperature is too well regulated. The sounds are all human or machine, and there is no real silence. Everyone is so purposeful that there is a feeling of rush and efficiency that makes me uncomfortable. The food comes from a replicator, so the flavor is slightly off. I feel sick, but dad says it is just homesickness, so I have to go to school tomorrow. I want to go home.

Day 5

Things are changing for the better. I'm not saying I like it, but maybe life won't be so much of a fiery hell. I discovered that we have a small garden on board, tended by the ship's botanist. He is an old man, but still in Starfleet. He asked me to call him Glenn, and while he can't offer me animals, at least it is a taste of home. I've been spending a lot of time with him.

Dad has been really busy, being "at the bottom rung" as he says. I end up eating dinner with my mother a lot. I like her well enough, but it feels awkward without dad there. I know she wants to get to know me better, so I fake my enthusiasm for the extra time with her. I'm not sure if she realizes it.

School isn't so bad. We get to work on our own a lot, and choose which direction to go in when she gives us projects and reports. She also has us work with partners sometimes, so I got paired with Ginger. We are supposed to research and present about one of the previous USS Hornets. Ginger wanted to choose the aircraft carrier CV-12, because she knows a lot about it. It is pretty interesting, I guess. She was first commissioned in 1943 and she fought in 59 battles. She also retrieved Apollo 11 and 12 when they returned from the moon. I wonder what it would be like to live so long ago, when battle was common and space exploration was novel. I imagine it was a hard world to live in.

Tomorrow we take a tour of the engineering room. I don't care to see it, but attendance is not optional. My classmates do not yet realize that my mother is the Chief Engineer. In another week, we arrive at Garot 4.

Day 6

I'll start at the beginning. After our lecture on proper behavior, we headed straight to main engineering. We all filed silently into the room and Mrs. Panaski left us there. My mother was not there at first and an ensign began to show us around and explain things. Then, my mother startled me with a hug as we stood outside of the warp core. I had been going by Margaret since we boarded the Hornet, but my mother called me Maggie and then offered to take over the tour. Everyone was very grateful and Eric in particular showed a great deal of interest. I endured the tour as silently as possible and finally it was over.

There was no more class scheduled for today so I started to wander off and then noticed Koh and changed course to follow him. "Hello..." he said, when he noticed me. He stopped and turned around to face me.

I smiled. "Hi. I was hoping if you aren't busy you would like to talk."

He blushed. I had noticed he was quiet in class. Maybe he was just shy. We didn't know each other, really. Honestly, I was being kind of forward. "Sure. I had nothing planned."

I motioned forward and we began to walk. Neither of us said anything until it became clear he did not mean to speak first. I sighed, unsure of how to ease into my questions. Then I went for it. "I was actually kind of curious about your race... what is it called?"

He looked down at his feet. "I don't know. I was found on that ship, as I said, but Starfleet couldn't identify it. And there is no record of any species with my characteristics. Everyone always wants to know, but really... I'm just a strange looking human."

Suddenly I felt intrusive. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

He shrugged. “It’s all right. I just don’t have anything to say about it.”

“Oh,” I said, and heard my father’s voice in my head: _You will never enjoy your time on a starship with such a pessimistic attitude, Maggie. You need to put in effort._ So I took a deep breath and asked, “So, what do you have something to say about?” He glanced at me, eyebrow quirked. “I just meant to change the subject,” I explained. “What are you interested in?”

"I like kids..." he said. "I help in the other class, with the younger kids, every once in a while. I love teaching them."

"So you want to be a teacher?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Honestly? I always thought that one day I would leave on a journey to discover where I came from. I never thought much about life after that until recently, when I realized I would never find my race. I'm okay with that now; I just have to start thinking about the future. My parents have always suggested Starfleet..."

"But you just can't imagine living on a spaceship forever?" Koh looked up at me, startled.

"No. I mean, I've always lived on a spaceship. I wouldn't mind that." Oh. I was projecting my own feelings. I sighed, suddenly wanting to leave. These kids and I could not relate. We had no common ground. "Are you unhappy here, Maggie?"

"I..." I trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Hey, it's not all that bad here. Let me show you."

So I got a tour of the ship, even a few places we weren't allowed. And he asked me to spend time with him again the next day. I told him that I couldn't because I had to spend some time with Glenn in the garden, so we decided on the day after.

I guess I am making a friend.

Day 8

It has been over a week now. I miss Bowler and I wonder if he misses me. He probably forgot about me already. Dogs are stupid like that. My mother told me to stop watching videos of him, because she thinks I am not adjusting well. I just watch in private now. I am adjusting to life on the Hornet fine. I am not adjusting to life with her as well.

I heard her talking to dad last night. "She's not opening up to me. It's like she doesn't even care!"

"Hush, Laurie, it will turn out all right. She just needs time." Dad was defending me, but he didn't sound certain himself. I tried to stop listening, but I couldn't help but notice the sound of crying a few minutes later.

This morning I woke up to find my dad at the table. Alone.

"Where is mother?" I asked, suddenly certain I had caused my parents to break up.

"She is working," dad said calmly. I walked to the replicator, ordered my food, and then brought it to the table. "Maggie. I feel like we haven't had much time to talk lately. I know I've been busy."

"Mother has been here. It's okay."

"But it's not quite the same, is it?" He asked. I said nothing, wondering if this was some sort of trap. "It's okay to say it, Maggie. Say whatever you need to."

"I know it hurts her," I managed finally.

"It does. Greatly. You are her only daughter, and she wants to be close to you." Tears pooled in my eyes, but I steeled myself not to let them out.

"You don't have to change, Maggie. Just include her. You two will come to know each other better in time. Time is all it takes."

I went to school with these thoughts in my head. Ginger and I almost finished our project. After school, Koh took me to the bar and we sipped juices and talked about our childhood until we were kicked out.

Day 9

Glenn keeps talking to me about the plants on Garot 4. The flora on this planet is diverse, much more than that of Earth. It is also much more highly developed in intelligence. Some of the plants even have relative mobility, if he can be believed.

I am interested in learning more, but when I ask too many questions he gets all technical and I tend to zone out. I have taken biology, but we didn't go beyond the basic functions of cell organelles. I know that the chlorophyll in the chloroplasts is responsible for conducting photosynthesis, which provides energy for the cell, but I don't know how. Glenn always launches into long explanations involving ATP and oxygen and other science things...

I have learned a lot of practical skills, too. I know about the environments and the growing seasons for a lot of the plants and Glenn lets me trim the dying leaves to give the healthy ones a better chance.

Today, he had me plant new seeds. He said they would be my responsibility and he won't touch them, so I better not let them die. I don't intend to, either so I have been reading up about the care of _achillea Millefolium_ all afternoon. When I felt like I had soaked in everything I could for a day, I began to write in here. Now I think I will retreat to my room.

Day 11

We arrived early at Garot 4. I spent the day at school and then I dragged Koh with me to show off my yarrow seeds. Ayana and Fiona overheard and wanted to come along, and I gladly received the bigger audience. I awed the younger girls with my knowledge and Koh chuckled at my enthusiasm, telling me he was glad I had found a passion.

I maintained that my passion was animals, and plants were merely a passing fancy. Then, Fiona invited us all to the holodeck. She and Ayana had a program there that was a menagerie of animals from our sector.

Basically, today was amazing. I actually had fun and I went back to my quarters for dinner very reluctantly. I was bursting with enthusiasm when I got back, and though I wished dad were there, I told mother all about my day instead. After dinner, while I was studying, I heard the announcement that we had reached orbit. The archeological team beamed down early and mother was wanted just after dad got home. I said Goodnight and then came to my room to write this before I fell asleep.

Day 12

Dad woke me up early to tell me I had a guest. I roused myself and went cautiously into the front room to see Glenn in his blue Starfleet uniform. I tried to blink away my sleepiness and stand up straighter. "Yes, sir?"

"Margaret David, I would like you to accompany me to the surface as my personal assistant and to help me keep records as I conduct my research." I raised my brows and glanced at my dad. He smiled encouragingly. I turned back to Glenn and grinned.

"Thank you, sir!" Then I looked down at my pajamas. "May I have a few minutes to change?"

"Of course. We leave in half an hour. Meet me in Transporter Room 1." As he left, I tried to listen to everything my dad was telling me while my heart pounded. I was going down to the planet! I was going to visit Garot 4! For all my complaints about space, it was still an exciting prospect. I had never even visited the moon before.

I dressed in work clothes and brushed my hair. When I came out again, dad walked me to Transporter Room 1, giving me last minute tips. At the door, he gave me a hug and I walked in a daze to the pad where Glenn already stood. Then... I was on Garot 4.

It was very green. Hot, humid air filled my lungs with my first breath. We stood in an open area, but it was paved and shaded. Starfleet officers greeted us and then I followed Glenn down a path that seemed to lead into a jungle. I had to swat away insects, some much too large and loud for comfort. When we reached the botany wing of the structure, we settled down to work. It was not much more than a tent but there were forcefields keeping out the insects and keeping in the regulated temperature air. Glenn set me up taking notes on a set of plants and I got lost in my work.

We took a break for lunch, by which time I was beginning to really like Garot 4. I took a walk down one of the paths to look at the scenery a bit more before we started working again. It was then that I met her.

I heard a soft trilling noise and froze. When I looked around, I saw her. She looked like a cat, but much smaller. And her tail was bushy. Her ears were smaller, but her eyes made up for it. I had not really realized Garot 4 had animals. She was in a tree, almost directly above me. I spoke slowly and quietly, "Hello, little one. What are you?"

She trilled again and then leapt directly onto my shoulder. I calmly picked her up and held her so that she couldn't bite, though she seemed friendly. I was in love.

We played for a minute, but I had to go back. "I'm sorry, darling, I have to work." I placed her in the tree, but she jumped back to my shoulder when I tried to walk away. I put her on the ground, but she followed me. I spoke sternly, but her tail went stiff and began to twitch. I didn't want trouble, so I switched back to my soothing cadence and took her to the botany wing.

I explained everything to Glenn and he told me to start working. The animal would go away eventually. She didn't.

She climbed happily and easily up and down my body and trilled quietly in my ear. She rolled around next to me on the floor. She took a nap on my shoulder. She buried her face in my hair. And when night fell and it was time to beam back to the Hornet, she was still with me.

"We will only be orbiting for another day, Margaret. The archeological team will stay here for six months, but you and I have to go back into space."

"I know..." I said. "I tried to make her leave, but she gets angry if I am too far away from her. And I like her, anyway. I don't want to leave her, Glenn."

"I'm afraid you have no choice." So I put her down. I only stepped one step away, so she wouldn't be suspicious. And then Glenn told the Hornet that we were ready.

I feel empty, lonely, and sad again. I don't really want to go to the surface tomorrow, but I will because I told Glenn I would help him.

Day 13

I'll try to make this quick. I got to the surface this morning and found the animal waiting for me. She was asleep, but I ran to her and picked her up. She was ecstatic. I felt a bit bittersweet. Glenn said I should have left her there.

I helped Glenn all day, and we even finished early, but she was at my side the whole time. We were relaxing after finishing when my mother showed up. She came to me and saw the animal. "Is that her?" I nodded, stroking her little head. She didn't even know that I would be leaving her today for good.

Then mom held out a pad with something written on it. I glanced at it and then asked, "What's this?" It looked like orders from the captain, but I was just a civilian. Why would they be for me?

"Maggie, I know you have really missed Bowler." I frowned. Why was she bringing that up? "He was too big to have on board, as you know, but I have talked to the captain about your unique situation and he has agreed to allow you to bring the animal from Garot 4 with you, as long as she is not a disruption."

I stared at her, afraid to accept what I was hearing. "Bring her with me? You mean... forever?" Mother nodded, smiling. Slowly, I returned her smile. "Thank you, mom. Thank you!" And then, overcome, I threw my arms around her in a hug. She hugged me back while the little animal scampered up my leg.

Now we are back aboard the USS Hornet, already on our way to our next destination. The animal is acquainting herself with her new home, and she doesn't seem at all distressed. I have named her Leola, a French name meaning faithful.

I am going to enjoy it here.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really proud of this, even though it is slow and a little bit Hallmark-ish. Let me know what you guys think though!


End file.
